


Jailbirds

by Reader88



Series: The Utopian Knights [3]
Category: Gridiron Gang (2006), Holes - Louis Sachar
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-02
Updated: 2014-05-04
Packaged: 2018-01-17 23:40:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1406950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reader88/pseuds/Reader88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick Cannon and Ricky Rodriguez have both been sentenced to serve eighteen months at Camp Bluethorn Juvenile Correctional Facility. There they bond with new friends and discover their own strengths and weaknesses as they build their self-esteem and begin to discover who they are.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

April 1980

"Next case!" yelled Judge Rose Ellis.

The bailiff replied, "The City of Chicago vs. Nicholas Scott Cannon, better known as Nick Cannon. The charges are grand theft auto, driving without a legal license, possession of false identification, and driving underage."

Judge Ellis frowned as she looked through her papers. "It seems like everyday I'm sending a pack of juvenile delinquents to the slammer. I don't know what's wrong with kids today. Does Mr. Cannon want to say anything in his defense?"

Nick's defense attorney, William Davis, replied, "Your Honor, my client has decided to plead guilty to all the charges."

Judge Ellis said, "Since Mr. Cannon has decided not to defend himself against the charges we'll let the jury discuss it among themselves."

Mr. Davis said hurriedly, "But I would still like to defend my client to help him get a lighter sentence. Now, Your Honor, the police had a hard time placing Nick and determining his age due to his lack of records. We've discovered that he was born in Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts, to Reuben and Vanessa Cannon. He was orphaned at the age of eight after he witnessed a gunman murder his parents. He has been in and out of several abusive foster families and started living on the streets at the age of ten. He committed petty crime to survive on the street and was incarcerated at Plainfield Juvenile Correctional Facility in July 1978 for a year for robbing a liquor store. When he was released he was once again abused, physically and verbally, by the head of a foster house and fled to the streets again. He wound up in Chicago where he started working as a car thief. Your Honor, Mr. Cannon is the victim of poverty and neglect by the foster care system. If we show some sympathy we can help set his life straight."

It only took the jury ten minutes to discuss and then they gave their written response to Judge Ellis. The judge said, "The jury has agreed that you are guilty, Mr. Cannon. However, given your rough childhood, I've decided to go easy on you. I'm sentencing you to eighteen months at Camp Bluethorn Juvenile Correctional Facility." She banged her gavel and yelled, "Next case!"

The bailiff replied, "The City of Chicago vs. Ricardo Jaime Rodriguez, better known as Ricky Rodriguez. The charges are illegal possession and sale of cannabis, better known as marijuana."

Judge Ellis sighed and said,"Does Mr. Rodriguez have anything to say in his defense?"

Mr. Davis replied, "Your Honor, my client has decided to plead guilty."

Judge Ellis asked, "But you're still going to defend him?"

Mr. Davis replied, "Yes. Your Honor, according to the files the police found, Ricky Rodriguez was born in Mexico City to Jaime and Linda Rodriguez. According to Mr. Rodriguez his parents were murdered when the owner of a nightclub his parents were working at refused to pay an extortionist protection money. Mr. Rodriguez's custody was passed to his other relatives, an uncle and two aunts, who, unfortunately, passed away. He was made a ward of the state of Texas and claims to have been sexually abused by several foster parents. He fled to the streets and pulled off petty crimes to survive. In July 1978, he was incarcerated at Indian River Juvenile Correctional Facility for helping run an illegal casino. He was released, on parole, in January 1979 on account of his good behavior. He later fled to the streets again after suffering neglect from the head of a foster house. He later wound up in Chicago where he upped his game to selling illegal drugs. As you can see Your Honor, Mr. Rodriguez is also a victim of poverty, tragedy, and neglect by the foster care system. If we show some sympathy we can help put him on the right path."

The jury discussed for ten minutes and then they gave their written response to Judge Ellis. The judge said, "The jury has agreed that you are guilty, Mr. Rodriguez. However, since you've had a rough childhood, I've decided to go easy on you as well. I'm sentencing you to eighteen months at Camp Bluethorn Juvenile Correctional Facility. Maybe you and your friend Mr. Cannon can turn your lives around in there." She banged her gavel and yelled, "Next case!"


	2. Chapter 2

Nick Cannon and Ricky Rodriguez were waiting inside Juvenile Hall for their bus. They had been in there for a few weeks and had been issued outfits that comprised of black pants and grey shirts.

Nick and Ricky thought about the few weeks they had spent together in the Hall. They refused to talk until they met their lawyer, William Davis. William Davis told them that staying silent was a smart strategy. But he still needed to know their ages because it would determine whether or not they would be brought to juvenile court.

Nick stated, "My name is Nicholas Scott Cannon. My birthday is October eighth, 1964."

Ricky stated, "My name is Ricardo Jaime Rodriguez. I was also born in 1964 but on July tenth."

Mr. Davis asked, "Do you know why you're being detained?"

Nick replied, "I stole a Benz."

Ricky said, "I sold marijuana for twenty dollars an ounce."

Mr. Davis said, "Now that I know your names I can dig up more records on you. The cops had a hard time figuring out who you two are and how old you are due to your lack of records." Nick and Ricky weren't registered at any schools in Chicago and had not been part of the school system for years. All the businesses they were involved in were illegal which meant they weren't part of a legitimate employment system. But they did have prior convictions and were wards of the state so Mr. Davis and the cops should be able to find some records.

At their arraignments the judge refused to post bail for either of them so Mr. Davis had said the best thing would be to plead guilty. They agreed with that since there was no way they could prove their innocence and it might help them get a lighter sentence. Mr. Davis said eighteen months at Camp Bluethorn was a lucky sentence compared to what other juvenile delinquents got. After the trial, Nick and Ricky had had their mugshots taken. The last mugshot Nick had taken was in June 1978 when he was thirteen years old. He was shorter then and had sported a bushy Afro. Now, he was five feet eleven inches and was still sporting a bushy Afro. It might be hard to tell apart this mugshot and his previous one. Nick didn't smile, he just gave a blank face that would make it very hard to read his emotions. The last mugshot Ricky had taken was in July 1978 when he was fourteen years old. He had been a bit shorter then but he was now five feet eight inches tall. Ricky also kept his face blank when his picture was taken. Nick and Ricky both held up a black placard that had their name and serial number on it.

A police officer opened their cells, handcuffed their hands in front of them and sneered, "The bus is here. Have fun at camp."

Nick and Ricky were given their bags and led outside to a yellow school bus that said Illinois Youth Authority. The door opened and the bus driver, who looked like he was in his fifties, said, "Welcome aboard. Sit where you want."

There was one guard on the bus sitting in the front row facing the back rows of boys with a rifle in his hand. Nick and Ricky compared this bus to school buses from elementary school. The windows were bullet-proof and all closed shut. The guard looked like he was itching to shoot someone. And the passengers were all boys who were handcuffed, holding bags and had eyes filled with anger, shame, guilt, and remorse. Nick and Ricky found seats in the back and then the bus drove away.

The ride was long since the driver had to pick up other teenage boys. Most of the boys napped, including Nick and Ricky. When Nick woke up he saw sitting across from them were two African-American boys. One boy was really short and looked about twelve years old. Nick wondered what sort of crime he could have pulled off and remembered he had been breaking and entering into stores when he was only ten. The second boy was a black teen who looked like he needed to lay off on steroids. He had a handsome head, broad shoulders and thick, muscular arms that could easily choke the life out of someone. Nick was definitely not going to get on that guy's bad side.

The day wore on and the boys noticed that they had left the city and were driving in the country. It seemed quieter and more peaceful than the city. It also made sense to build a camp for juvenile delinquents away from civilization.

Ricky soon realized that he recognized some of the boys on the bus. He noticed a black teenager with a gold, black, and red bandanna and tattoos of a five-point star on his left hand and a crescent moon on his right hand. He recognized that boy as being part of the Vice Lords, a gang of African-American boys from the West Side. The boy could handle himself in a fight but was well-known for spray painting on walls to mark the Vice Lords' territory. He also saw a Hispanic teenager whose gang, the Spanish Cobras, were well-known for stealing from stores in the Vice Lord's territory. Ricky knew that when those two saw each other in camp sparks were going to fly.

Suddenly the bus stopped and the driver said, "Last stop, Camp Bluethorn, boys!"


	3. Chapter 3

All the boys filed out of the bus and walked out into the camp. Standing in front of them were two men. An African-American man and a brown-haired white man. "Welcome to Camp Bluethorn, gentlemen," said the white man. "My name is Robert Jones. I am the law of last resort. I am not your father, your butler, or your friend. I am your warden. A delinquent who breaks the rules will receive no mercy." Warden Jones then pointed to the African-American and stated, "This is Max Weller, one of the counselors here. He is your friend. He and the other counselors will give each of you an equal chance at rehabilitation."

A Department of Corrections officer then led the boys to a room filled with orange jumpsuits. These would be their prison uniforms. Mr. Weller said uniforms were changed every three days and they would all have to help out on laundry duty. Nick and Ricky pulled on medium-sized orange jumpsuits and white Velcro sneakers. Nick remembered that the last time he wore Velcro sneakers was when he was eleven years old. Ricky thought orange was a tacky color and preferred the prison uniforms he had worn at Harrisburg.

After the boys finished changing, Mr. Weller took them on a tour of the camp. There was a baseball diamond, a football field, and a basketball court for the boys to get some exercise. There were separate buildings for the cafeteria, the school, the bedrooms/cells, the gymnasium, the recreation room, the auditorium, and offices. There was also a well-stocked library, a machine shop, and a fruit and vegetable garden. The showers were on the second floor of the bedrooms/cells. There were ten rooms, five on the left and five on the right. Above each door was a letter from A to J. Mr. Weller directed each of the boys to a different room. Nick and Ricky were in Room F. When they went inside they saw there were eight beds, four on their left and four on their right. Since each room had eight beds and there were ten rooms, that meant there were eighty juvenile delinquents imprisoned at this camp. Nick and Ricky commandeered the two beds on their right. As they were unpacking, six other boys filed into the room and started unpacking their stuff. Nick recognized the two black kids he had sat across from on the bus and Ricky recognized the black kid he'd seen on the bus who was a member of the Vice Lords. Ricky noticed a Hispanic kid and was glad it wasn't the guy who was a member of the Cobras.

Ricky introduced himself and said, "My name is Ricky Rodriguez. Got busted for selling marijuana in the South Side."

Nick said, "My name is Nick Cannon and I got busted for stealing cars."

"What kinds of cars?" asked the little black kid Nick had seen on the bus.

Nick replied, "The top models. Hustlers are always cruising in Camaroes, Porsches, Saabs, Bentleys, Rolls-Royces, and Mercedes-Benzes. The Benz was the one that caught the cops' attention."

The little black kid said, "My name is Devin Marshall. I got busted shoplifting at the mall. I was in a pet store and I thought it was kinda wrong how they keep animals locked up in cages. I would have made it out if my pocket didn't start barking." The other boys laughed while Devin continued. "When the cops took me back home they had a warrant to search the apartment and found over five thousand dollars of stolen stuff. They didn't believe me when I said I was holding it for a friend."

The big, muscular black kid Nick had seen on the bus said, "The name's T. Rex. I run with the Bloods. One day I saw two Crips spray painting on our turf in the South Side. I told them to clean up their mess and get off the Bloods' turf. By the time the fight was over the two Crips got an all-expense paid trip to the emergency room and I got an all-expense paid trip to Camp Bluethorn." Nick was thinking about asking T. Rex what his real name was but decided against it. With his broad shoulders and thick, muscular arms, this guy definitely deserved the name T. Rex.

The Hispanic kid said, "I'm Julio Santiago. I got busted breaking into a store in the West Side to steal stuff like TVs, VCRs, record players. Then I'd fence them on the street. I was with the Latin Kings."

A white boy with brown hair said, "My name is Max Owens. My parents died a while ago so I was sent to live with my Uncle Freddie in the North Side. Turns out he was involved with the Chicago Mob and I got involved too. I used my computer hacking skills to break into bank accounts and classified stuff from City Hall. Well, one day we got busted. My uncle was sent to federal prison and I got off easy by being sent here. Being a kid has its advantages in the world of criminal law."

Nick asked, "Are you serious? You're a white-collar criminal?" Max replied, "Yeah, check my files if you don't believe me."

The black kid with the gold, black, and red bandanna and tattoos on his hand said, "My name is Sketch 'cause I do sketches, drawings, and other art. I run with the Almighty Vice Lords. I got busted for spray painting walls in the West Side to keep the Spanish Cobras off our turf."

Finally, a tall white kid with blonde hair said, "The name's Peter McKinley, don't wear it out." He glared at Julio and said, "I'm a member of the South Side Popes." The Popes and the Latin Kings were rivals. Peter continued and said, "I got busted for stabbing a lady because she wouldn't give me her purse. Last I heard she was recovering in the hospital from heart surgery."

Now that all the cards were on the table the boys started sizing each other up. Besides Devin and Max, each boy seemed to be in decent physical condition with their tall frames and muscular arms. T. Rex was the most impressive with his broad shoulders and muscular arms the size of baseball bats. Peter kept glaring at Julio and Julio tried giving him a friendly smile to show him that in prison maybe they could call a truce. Devin was the smallest of the boys and looked to be at least twelve years old. He was looking at the other boys cautiously wondering how he would somehow survive his next eighteen months at camp. Except for Nick, Ricky, and Max, each boy belonged to a gang that was well-known for their terrible reputations. Every gang has allies and every gang has enemies. Sparks were sure to fly when the gangsters caught up with their rivals.


	4. Chapter 4

As the boys were unpacking they heard a bell go off through the PA system. A corrections officer stuck his face in their room and said, "Just to let you know, dinner is served at six o'clock sharp."

The boys left their things and went to the building that housed the cafeteria. There were ten tables for each of the rooms. Julio found the table with an "F" painted on it. Then the boys got in line to get their dinner. One rumor about prison is true: the food is horrible. The cafeteria ladies put some form of stewed vegetables, moldy steak, and green Jell-O on their plates. Nick and Ricky were the only ones who bothered to say, "Thank you." They were used to going to bed hungry on the streets so they appreciated people who were giving them free food.

As the boys walked to their table Sketch glared at a Hispanic kid sitting at Table B. He was wearing a green bandanna with a cobra on it. The Hispanic kid with the bandanna noticed Sketch and started glaring at him, too. When the boys got to their tables Devin asked, "Why were you glaring at that guy, Sketch?"

Sketch replied, "His name is Esteban de la Rosa. His gang, the Spanish Cobras, and my gang, the Vice Lords, are sworn enemies. The Cobras put a bullet in my best friend Dick Hudson and I promised I'd make the Cobras pay." Nick and Ricky didn't say anything since they had a good understanding of gang violence. Even in prison different gangs from different neighborhoods would still be trying to kill each other since they lived five blocks in the wrong direction.

The boys finished up their dinner which didn't really taste much like anything. The vegetables tasted like overcooked grease, the steak tasted like stale, moldy bread, and the Jell-O was harder than the bowl. Ricky noticed a pile of newspapers and took out a copy of the  _Chicago Tribune_. He started flipping through it and saw an article that said, **Drug Lord's Domain Doomed!** Ricky read the article and it stated,

_Jacob Freeman's drug empire was crippled about one month ago in South Side Chicago. The residents claimed that he had been selling drugs in the area for years but was never sent to jail since everyone in the neighborhood was afraid to testify. However, thanks to the brilliant detective and undercover work of the Chicago Police Department, Freeman's luxury apartment in the East Side of Chicago was raided and the drug lord has been sentenced to 25 years in jail. Several of the drug dealers caught in the police raids have been sent to different prisons and detention centers depending on their years of working for Freeman, their ranking in his criminal organization, and their ages._

Ricky thought, _Wow! I got off easy with only eighteen months here. Let me see if there's anything about a car jacking empire._ Ricky flipped to the last page and saw, **Chicago Calls for Strict Consequences!** The article read, 

_Dozens of teenagers have been arrested over the past few months for a variety of crimes including: grand theft auto, breaking and entering, petty theft, assault and battery, assault with a deadly weapon, illegal sales and possession of narcotics, vandalism, computer hacking, and even attempted and actual murder! The city of Chicago pleads for the government to pass stricter laws on juvenile delinquents and get tougher on youth crime. Others plead for the world to show mercy for juvenile delinquents claiming, "They're just kids. They have problems in their lives. Maybe jail will help set them on the right path." Considering that the recidivism rate is as high as 50%, it's highly unlikely that juvenile detention centers are doing their best to rehabilitate young criminals._

Ricky thought, _Great! Now the whole world is against us. I bet they'd want to lock us all away in maximum security prisons and throw away the key._

After dinner the boys went back to Room F, finished unpacking and decided to all go to bed early. Nick lay awake wondering what he was going to do in this prison for eighteen months. The counselors at Plainfield didn't care about his rehabilitation and they even told him that he was as dumb and worthless; his previous foster parents and police officers had told him for the exact same thing for years so it came as no surprise to Nick. He doubted the counselors here were any different. Ricky figured that if he played his cards right and didn't get into any trouble he could get out of here on an early parole. He had played this game before and figured if he could cut the cards at Indian River he could do it at Bluethorn as well.

Soon the boys drifted off to sleep. The only sound they heard was a coyote howling out in the woods.


	5. Chapter 5

A bugle roared over the PA system at 6:00 AM. The boys climbed groggily out of their beds, gathered up their toiletries, and headed for the showers. They had to stand in long lines as there were more boys than there were sinks and showers. After they brushed their teeth, shaved and took their showers, they changed into their orange jumpsuits and headed to the cafeteria. Breakfast was lumpy oatmeal, toast with their choice of jelly or honey, and a glass of orange juice. The oatmeal hardly tasted like anything and the toast tasted like rubber but Nick and Ricky didn't complain. Eating this was way better than starving to death. The best part was the orange juice. It was cool and sweet.

After breakfast a man named Mr. Harvey came to their table and said he was their counselor. He wanted them to come to his office so that they could get acquainted. In his office they sat in a circle together. Mr. Harvey had muscular arms and was cleanly shaved. His brown hair was combed neatly. But the boys still eyed him with distrust. It was highly unlikely this guy could help them with the problems they faced on the street. Sketch, T. Rex, Devin, Julio, and Peter knew this guy could harp until he was blue in the face about staying out of gangs but joining a gang was the only way for them to gain power, money, respect and, most importantly, protection. Counselors had been a big part of Nick's and Ricky's lives since they had been put in foster care and when they were first sent to jail. They knew counselors and social workers could care less about how they felt and how messed up their lives had been since they had been left alone.

Mr. Harvey exclaimed, "Well, good day to you all. How are you enjoying your stay so far?"

The boys were thinking,  _Is this guy serious?_

Nick answered, "The food here ain't as good as the Hilton's but it's better than starving to death on the streets."

Peter added, "Yeah, these cafeteria ladies cook better than my mom. She can't make toast without setting the whole kitchen on fire."

Mr. Harvey smiled and said, "Well, nice to see you boys are adjusting nicely. Other stuff you'll be doing here includes school work; chores; some private sessions with me; and some work in the machine shop, garden, kitchen; et cetera to see what suits you."

After some more talking Mr. Harvey gave each boy a timetable except for Nick and Ricky. Mr. Harvey dismissed the other boys but told Nick and Ricky to stay behind. Mr. Harvey told them, "It was very hard for the Chicago Police Department to figure out how old you boys were due to your lack of records. They've confirmed that neither of you boys possesses a junior high school diploma. In fact, Nick you don't seem to possess an elementary school diploma. As a result, you're both being put in remedial classes with Miss Morales. This doesn't mean you're dumb, it just means you need some extra attention."

Nick and Ricky hadn't been in classrooms in ages. Surviving the streets was tough enough, but surviving math class was something else entirely. Miss Morales may seem like a tough teacher but for Nick and Ricky the toughest teacher of all is experience. She gives the tests first, the lessons afterword. Miss Morales did some tests to determine their reading, writing, mathematics, logic, and thinking skills and was surprised that they did fairly well.

She told them, "Your intelligence appears to be somewhere near a high school level. So I'll give you some ninth grade work just to see how much I should challenge you." The ninth grade work was a good challenge and they were so busy working that they practically jumped out of their seats when the bell rang.

Miss Morales said, "That's the lunch bell. See you in an hour."

Nick and Ricky sat at their usual table with their roommates. Lunch was tuna fish sandwiches, chocolate milk, and vanilla pudding. The tuna tasted like dirty socks, the milk was a bit sour and the vanilla pudding still had some skin. Nick and Ricky were certain that they had eaten better things out of garbage cans.

Peter asked, "So how's remedial classes? Did you guys color pictures while you sang 'The Wheels on the Bus'?"

The other boys snickered while Nick replied, "Nope, just some reading and math. Isn't very easy but it's okay."

Ricky said, "Besides, I doubt Miss Morales allows music in her class. I think she prefers silence."

After they ate they all went outside to stretch their legs. Nick and Ricky hadn't gotten a good look outside since they came to camp yesterday. It was still early spring but was surprisingly a bit warmer than it had been in previous weeks. Ricky looked at the sun and smiled.

"Won't be long before summer gets here," he told the guys.

Some boys were playing basketball while some were playing baseball. T. Rex started playing basketball when a Gangster Disciple shoved him during a play.

T. Rex asked, "Nigga, what's wrong with you?"

The Gangster Disciple said, "I'm still tryin' to find out, nigga!" T. Rex punched the Gangster Disciple in the face and soon they were both wrestling each other. Soon some guards came, broke up the fight, and escorted the boys to their individual cells in solitary confinement.

Soon the lunch break was over and Nick and Ricky headed back to class. They did some more reading and math exercises until the bell rang at 3:00 PM. Miss Morales assigned them some homework and the boys headed back to Room F. They took out their homework and finished it in an hour. Then they went to the rec room. There were a whole bunch of boys there trying to boil off some steam. There was exercise equipment that included treadmills, weights, exercise cycles, and exercise mats. There was a record player with some Motown albums, disco albums, and some old rock albums from the 1950s. There was a dart board that had a lot of holes in it from all the times angry campers had used it. There was a pool table with billiard balls and some tables for playing cards. There were two pinball machines that looked like they were built in the Stone Age. Finally, there was a television set that showed a decent picture. Since there was room on the sofa Nick and Ricky sat down and switched the TV to CBS where they watched one of their favorite shows, _M*A*S*H_. Soon the bell rang for dinner and everyone headed out of the rec room.

Dinner was vegetable soup and a choice of fruit for dessert. The fruit tasted fresh but the soup tasted like sewer water. After dinner the boys headed back to their rooms and hit the hay.

As they drifted off to sleep they heard coyotes howling on the wind.


	6. Chapter 6

The days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months. Nick and Ricky's routine stayed pretty much the same. Miss Morales let them attend the GED classes with the other campers once she determined that they could keep up with high school work. After schoolwork they did chores in the afternoon, hung out in the rec room after they were finished working, and ate their meals with their roommates from Room F. T. Rex, Sketch, Peter, and Julio had been put in solitary confinement at least once for getting into fights with rival gangsters. Sketch had gotten into a fight with Esteban in the cafeteria, Peter got into a fight with a Gaylord in the rec room, and Julio had tried to beat up a Prophet who said a "Yo, Mama" joke. So far Nick and Ricky hadn't been sent to solitary because they didn't have any vendettas with gangs.

Mr. Harvey had called the Room F boys in for group therapy and individual sessions. Mr. Harvey had reviewed all of the boys' files. They ranged in age from twelve to seventeen. T. Rex was the only boy who had a father who lived at home. Julio and T. Rex had family members who were also in jail. Sketch and T. Rex had siblings who were also in gangs. Peter's mother had a drinking problem. They had all been in and out of school repeatedly but truancy and behavioral problems had made educating them impossible. Some had gotten jobs in the past but lost them for several reasons. And these facts were just the tip of the iceberg! Whenever he called Nick in he refused to talk with the counselor. Mr. Harvey understood about child and teen psychology and knew that since Nick had been in and out of the foster care system for most of his life and had a prior conviction, the last thing he was going to do was spill out his life story like he was Woody Allen.

Finally Mr. Harvey asked Nick, "What's one thing I should know about you?"

Nick replied, "I don't answer stupid questions."

Mr. Harvey said, "Well, are you ever going to answer any of my questions?"

Nick shrugged as if to say, "I don't know."

Mr. Harvey sighed and asked, "Is there anything in this world you care about? I don't think you care that much about embracing a life of crime and sometimes I don't think you care about yourself."

Nick stayed silent. Mr. Harvey said, "Thanks for letting me know. I think we made a real breakthrough today."

Whenever Mr. Harvey talked to Ricky he usually stayed silent but now and again Ricky would say a thing or two. Mr. Harvey concluded that Nick and Ricky were as unlikely to spill the beans about their lives as he was to take a rocket ship to Mars.

Whenever Ricky had free time he played his trumpet. One day Ricky caught Nick writing a poem and asked, "Whatcha ya doin'?"

Nick replied, "Just a writin'."

Ricky grabbed the notebook and said, "What kinds of stuff?" He pushed Nick back as he quickly read a poem Nick was working on.

He said, "You wrote this? Wow, I didn't think any other guys cared about poetry."

Nick said, "You write poetry too?"

Ricky replied, "That and songs."

Nick said excitedly, "Really? Me too. Let me see what you wrote."

Pretty soon they were sharing their written works: poems, songs, short stories. Then they started writing together. It was quite enjoyable and helped take their minds off their monotonous prison life.

Ricky asked Nick, "Have you ever been to California?"

Nick said, "No."

Ricky stated, "Out of all the places I've lived California is my favorite. There are tall palm trees, gorgeous beaches, Disneyland, and girls wear bikinis all year long. Who knows? If we make it big as musicians and songwriters we could be stinking rich and live in a big fancy mansion there."

Nick said, "Yeah, right."

Ricky grew serious and told him, "Don't give up on your dreams, man. If you do you've got nothing left."

Nick thought about this and asked, "Did you used to live in California?"

Ricky replied, "Yeah, with my Uncle Eddie but that was years ago."

As Nick and Ricky were sleeping in bed they thought about their day. Nick realized that Ricky was the first real friend he could remember having since he lost his parents. Ricky realized that this was the first time he had allowed his heart to care about someone since he lost his Aunt Juanita. Maybe it was okay to hope again, to dream again. It's also good to love and care again. Nick and Ricky knew they had formed a special bond that day.

They both sailed off to the land of dreams as the coyotes howled out in the woods.


	7. Chapter 7

April rolled into May and May rolled into June. Pretty soon the school year ended and it was summer vacation. The only delinquents who would be enjoying their summer to the fullest were the ones who were finally being released. A few inmates were released on parole and sent back home. But the Room F boys stayed in Camp Bluethorn since they had only been there two months. None of them were eligible for parole yet.

During the summer, the boys' schedules were a bit different. After they woke up at 6:00 AM, cleaned up in the bathrooms, and eaten dinner, their counselors usually gave them a list of chores to keep themselves busy. When they finished their chores the rest of the day was theirs. The Room F boys were asked to help out a lot around camp. Doing laundry, washing dishes, mopping the floors, working in the garden. Ricky enjoyed working in the garden because it reminded him of being with his Uncle Eddie. He was also asked to fix many things around camp: lights, toasters, toilets, the TV in the rec room. Whenever Ricky finished cleaning something or fixing something he was always exhausted, tired, and covered in sweat. But he felt good, even great! He had a feeling of satisfaction he couldn't explain. It was good clean work. Hustling people and selling drugs on the street felt dirty in comparison.

One day Mr. Harvey asked Nick to come outside because he had a "special job" for him. Nick saw an old black car, a Nissan. It's passenger car was bashed in, the engine was making a funny sound and two of the windows were broken. And Mr. Harvey told Nick it was his job to fix everything. Nick rolled his eyes and figured it was Mr. Harvey's way of getting free labor out of him.  _Just like Plainfield_ , thought Nick. Nick had experience fixing cars when he was carjacking in Chicago. He rolled up his sleeves and closely examined the car. He said the car needed a new passenger door and two new windows. He examined the engine closely and said he could easily fix it. Once Nick got the parts he worked on the car nonstop. He was excused all other chores at camp since he was working on the car. In a week, Nick had installed a new passenger door, new windows and fixed the engine. He also repainted the car with some black paint he found in the camp storage and cleaned the interior of crumbs, drink stains, and cigarette ashes.

When Nick was finished he stepped back and looked at the Nissan. It was almost unrecognizable, it looked brand-new! Mr. Harvey patted Nick's shoulder, put his arm around him and said, "Well done." That was when Nick felt something inside him he hadn't felt in a long time: pride. How many times had foster parents, police officers, judges, and Youth Authority counselors called him a worthless loser, a waste of skin? How often had he believed them? Since Nick had been called a loser most of his life he had worked hard to prove he was one. Now he was stuck in jail, the number one spot for worthless losers. But maybe, maybe, when he got out he could prove he was more than that.

Things seemed to be pretty quiet while the summer rolled into July. But one day Nick got a stomachache. He shrugged it off and was sure it would pass. But it was getting worse everyday. He was losing his appetite and was eating less. He was excused from chores and allowed to rest in his room. But during the night he was clutching his stomach and rolling around in pain.

Ricky woke up to Nick's sounds of pain and asked, "Nick, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Nick responded by vomiting on the floor. Ricky ran out of their room, banged on the front door, and yelled, "Guards! Help! I think Nick is really sick!"

The boys were sent to bed at 9:00 PM sharp. Then the front door to the dormitories was locked while guards stood watch outside. The boys had to knock and yell on the front door if there was any kind of emergency. A guard with sunglasses on opened the door and yelled, "What is going on?"

Ricky led him to Room F and the guard's flashlight illuminated Nick's frail body and his vomit on the floor. The guard yelled, "Yo, Frank! Let's get this guy to the nurse's office stat!"

Nick was carried to Nurse Powell who was sleeping in her little room next to the infirmary. Boys were put in the infirmary if they were seriously sick, injured, or needed to be quarantined. Nurse Powell put Nick on a bed, took off his shirt, examined him, pressed a spot close to his side and he howled in pain.

Nurse Powell said, "He's probably got appendicitis. He needs to be taken to the hospital right now!"

Nurse Powell called 911 and was told she had to wait ten minutes for the ambulance. The Room F boys came to the infirmary to comfort Nick while he waited for the ambulance. Peter told Nick, "Man, I can't believe how much puke some spaghetti and meatballs can make. You know we had to clean up your shit, right? Next time you wanna puke, don't do it in our room!"

Devin punched him and said, "Shut up, Pete! Can't you see he's in pain?"

Ricky held his hand and said, "We're right here with you, buddy. Don't worry, we're right here." Pretty soon the ambulance came and Nick was put on a gurney in the back and whisked away to the hospital.

Once they got to the hospital, Nick was sent to the emergency room. They put a plastic mask over his face and told him to count backwards from ten. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four..., throo..."

Once Nick lost consciousness the surgeons operated on him and removed his appendix. The next thing Nick remembered was waking up in a room with white walls and white curtains. He looked outside and saw that it was morning. He looked around trying to remember where he was and remembered he was at the hospital because his appendix was removed. He tried to stretch but saw that his left wrist was handcuffed to the bed's side bar.

Nick yelled, "Yo, is anyone around here?"

An attractive white nurse in a clean white uniform came in and cheerfully said, "Good morning, sir. My name is Kelly Sharp, your personal nurse."

Nick smiled and said, "Personal? I'm okay with that."

"Do you want some breakfast?", asked Nurse Kelly.

Nick replied, "Yes, please."

Nurse Kelly brought a tray of pancakes with maple syrup, some bacon, and a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice. Nick thanked her and thought,  _Finally some real food!_ Nick ate every crumb of his breakfast and asked for a second glass of orange juice. Kelly told him that since he needed a lot of Vitamin C to speed his recovery having a second glass of orange juice was a good idea. After Nick finished his orange juice Kelly fluffed his pillow and turned the TV on for him. Nick saw they were playing Michael Jackson's music video for his No. 1 single, "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough." Nick thought it was more creative than most of the music videos he saw during the '70s. Artists singing and dancing behind a black background was not very creative or original and it seemed very primitive and weak. Nick kicked back and thought,  _Yeah, this is so much better than a jail cell at Camp Bluethorn._

Meanwhile back at camp the Room F boys were discussing what might be happening to Nick while they were eating breakfast.

Devin said, "I had my appendix out when I was ten. It hurt a lot but after they took it out it didn't hurt anymore. The doctors say if you wait too long your appendix could burst and you could die."

Ricky frowned and knew the last thing he wanted to hear was about someone he cared about sick and possibly dying in the hospital.

Peter said, "They probably got his appendix out already. Nick's probably sleeping in a bed with clean sheets and they're serving him breakfast in bed."

Sketch said, "Maybe an attractive nurse is spoon-feeding him."

Julio said, "Lucky guy. He gets a small vacation away from camp."

After breakfast Ricky went outside with his notebook and sat under the shade of a tall oak tree. He tried writing to get his mind off things but couldn't bear to write anything without Nick there. Ricky had come to depend on Nick to help him finish their songs and poems. If he died how would he be able to finish them? Ricky wrapped his arms around himself and thought about everyone he had ever loved and cared about. They were all stone-cold dead probably because he wasn't capable of being loved. Whenever he cared about someone they always went away. Ricky thought,  _Why does this keep happening to me? Maybe I'm jinxed._ Ricky realized he had spent all those years on the street with a huge hole in his heart. He didn't really care when he got arrested because there was no one left to care about him. Ricky realized that even if he got out of jail and got his life together, it wouldn't mean a thing unless he had somebody to share it with.


	8. Chapter 8

Nick had to stay in the hospital for a week to make sure he had fully recuperated. After that he was sent back to camp in a mini Youth Authority bus. He was handcuffed and sitting in one of the middle seats. There were two guards facing him with rifles.

When Nick got back to camp he saw Sketch, T. Rex, and Julio playing basketball with some boys from Room G. Max, Devin, Peter, and Ricky were silently watching.

Nick called out, "Hey, guys! Did ya miss me?"

The Room F boys all ran over to Nick and gave him pats on the backs. Devin and Ricky both hugged Nick.

Nick, embarrassed, said, "Whoa, guys, this ain't a Girl Scout Camp."

Ricky said, "Sorry, man. We really missed ya."

Devin said, "Yeah, are you okay?"

Nick said, "I feel great! Now are you guys gonna continue this game of basketball or stand here jawing?"

They played ball until it was time for lunch. The menu consisted of bologna and cheese sandwiches, red Kool-Aid, and granola bars. Slop is slop.

When they were sitting at their table Max asked, "Yo, Nick, what was it like staying at the Hilton?"

Nick laughed and said, "It was a step-up from here. I had real home-cooked meals, my own TV, and an attractive white lady named Margaret Kelly who was my nurse."

T. Rex said, "You had a whole room to yourself?"

Nick said, "Yep, the hospital staff were afraid of letting anyone be my roommate since I'm a 'dangerous criminal.' I think that whenever someone hears the word 'criminal' they automatically think of murderers and rapists."

T. Rex said, "A few of us are in here for murder or attempted murder." He pointed at a black kid who was full of muscle and sinew. "That guy is called X-Ray. He's in here for killing a Blood in a drive-by. He just came in."

For the rest of the summer the boys received word that most guys who were released from jail either got arrested again or died on the street. It didn't seem like life would change much for Room F once they were released. Nick and Ricky knew that since they were wards of the state they would be sent to some kind of foster home. What if it was the same as all the rest? The faces of kids with despair and hopelessness in their eyes, angry adults who didn't see the point of children. Nick and Ricky weren't sure they wanted to go through that again. Camp Bluethorn was a safer place than most of the foster homes they'd been sent to.

One day in late August, Mr. Harvey and Mr. Weller, the black man who had given the boys their orientation when they first arrived, came into the cafeteria with news for the boys.

Mr. Weller said, "After much negotiation with Illinois Youth Authority and the local school board, we can finally start a sports program here at Camp Bluethorn. We're hoping this will help greatly with your rehabilitation."

Mr. Harvey said, "We're starting with a football team this fall. Any volunteers?" A few boys raised their hands and Mr. Weller wrote down their names. He asked and enlisted some other boys who could benefit from the program.

"What about you, Esteban?", asked Mr. Weller.

Esteban asked, "Will it be hard?"

Mr. Weller said, "It'll be harder than beating up a security guard with a metal pipe."

Esteban said, "I'm in."

Mr. Weller asked, "What about you, X-Ray? This will require teamwork, something you and your homeboys use to eliminate Bloods in drive-by shootings."

X-Ray said, "Yeah, I'll play."

Mr. Weller got to Room F and asked, "What about you T. Rex? You'd make a great fullback and you could beat people up without getting arrested for assault and battery."

T. Rex laughed, flexed his arms, and said, "Yeah, my body's up for a real physical challenge."

Mr. Weller asked, "What about you Sketch?"

When Sketch didn't reply he said, "You wanna check your calendar and see if you have to spray paint someone's wall?"

Sketch gruffly said, "Yeah, I'll play."

Peter said, "I'll play."

Mr. Weller said, "I can't use you, Peter."

Peter asked, "Why not?"

Mr. Weller replied, "Because you have no discipline. You love to start fights with everybody, enemies and allies."

Ricky said, "I'll play."

Mr. Weller asked, "Got any experience?"

Ricky said, "Not much."

Mr. Weller said, "You're in."

Mr. Weller looked at Nick and asked, "What about you, Nick?"

Nick said, "I'll pass."

Mr. Weller said, "You're in."

Nick asked, "Why?"

Mr. Weller said, "Because you have potential even though you're scared to use it." Mr. Weller got more volunteers and they had a team.


	9. Chapter 9

The boys were all standing on the football field. Mr. Weller and Mr. Harvey were looking them straight in the eyes.

Mr. Weller said, "Welcome to the gridiron, boys! Today is the first day of football practice! When we're on the gridiron, when we're playing together, we do things my way! Not your way, my way! Your way got you here: dealing drugs, hustling people, robbing people, killing people, and you're here because you lost! You're all losers! But if you try your best on the gridiron you'll all be winners!"

Mr. Harvey said, "There are a few things you boys will have to deal with. You're going to have to learn to work with kids from other neighborhoods, from different gangs. Teamwork is compulsory for this team to succeed! First, let's do some jumping jacks."

The boys did jumping jacks for half an hour and then they did push-ups and sit-ups for an hour. Sketch asked, "Coach Weller, why are we doing this? Shouldn't we be practicing with footballs, helmets, actual equipment?"

Mr. Weller replied, "All in good time, Sketch. Once the camp pulls enough funding we'll be able to get real equipment."

The boys did exercises for hours and then went inside for dinner. They ate mashed potatoes, green vegetables, and some brown lump that was pretending to be chicken. When they were in their beds, Nick, Ricky, Sketch, and T. Rex boys started to complain.

Sketch said, "Man, I forgot how sore gym class made me feel. Now I feel kinda sorry that I was always skipping school."

T. Rex said, "I can't wait to get some real equipment and start bringing on the pain!"

Max said, "Gym was always my worst subject. I think it's because I wasn't so athletic that I fell in love with computers. Now look where it's gotten me."

Nick said, "Max with your brains you could go to college and make something of yourself. The rest of us may be stuck in the ghetto for the rest of our lives but you can get out of this messed up system."

Julio said, "What about you and Ricky? We see you two writing all them songs. Maybe one day we'll see you on _American Bandstand_ or _The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson_."

Peter said, "Yeah, that's the dream of every guy living in the ghetto. But the chances of making it in show business are one in a million."

Ricky said, "Then there's still a chance." The boys dropped off to sleep too tired to continue talking while coyotes howled in the distance.

The next morning Ricky asked Mr. Weller and Mr. Harvey, "What's our team name?"

Mr. Harvey replied, "We haven't decided yet. Maybe you boys can come up with a name."

The boys were made to run laps and took turns kicking a football across the field. Even though most of the boys seemed in good physical shape it was surprising that boys that could handle themselves in street fights could be as clumsy as a girl when it came to sports. The boys refused to give up and when they fell down, they got up and tried again. At the end of the day the Room F boys said Nick had come up with a name.

Mr. Weller said, "Hit us, boys."

Nick said, "The Coyotes." Mr. Weller and Mr. Harvey nodded in agreement.

After a few weeks the boys finally got their equipment. Helmets, shoulder and knee pads, athletic cups. Now they were really ready for the gridiron! Unfortunately, trying to learn all the strategies for football wasn't easy. These boys hardly paid attention in a classroom and it's unlikely that they got marks higher than a C's and D's when they were in regular school.

One day Mr. Weller talked to Ricky and said, "Ricky, can you do me a favor?"

Ricky said, "Sure, coach, wassup?"

Mr. Weller said, "I heard that when you were selling marijuana in the 'hood you made five times my salary."

Ricky smiled and said, "Yeah, plus I didn't have to pay no taxes."

Mr. Weller said, "Good, you're great at math and figuring things out. How about you help Esteban figure out our playbook? If he doesn't figure it out our defense is going to be one man down."

Ricky said, "Sure, I'll try."

Then there was the problem of boys who were affiliated with different gangs. T. Rex always slammed down X-Ray whenever he ran past him with the ball.

Mr. Harvey said, "Hey, hey! T. Rex, I like how you're really getting into your role as a fullback. But you don't want to injure a member of your own team. Watch your strength and use your head."

X-Ray cut in and said, "This Jurassic Joke doesn't help me because he's a Blood and I'm a Crip. I thought you looked familiar when I got sent here. You're the guy who almost killed two of my homeys!"

T. Rex exclaimed, "Yeah, I gave them an all-expense paid trip to the emergency room. Want me to give you one to the city morgue?"

T. Rex pulled X-Ray in a headlock but three guards came and held him down.

Mr. Harvey yelled, "Hold it, boys! We're a football team and we have to learn to get along. You two may be enemies on the streets but not here. Can you try and get along?"

T. Rex frowned and grumbled and said, "I'll try, coach. But only for the team."

X-Ray sneered and said, "I'll try ten times harder than this Jurassic Jerk."

During a water break another scuffle broke out. Devin had wanted to join the football team even though he was too young and too short. So Mr. Weller compromised by making him the water boy. Sketch was handing a water bottle to Sketch when Esteban grabbed it out of his hand.

Sketch said, "Hey, that was mine!"

Esteban stopped drinking, glared at Sketch, and poured the rest of the water in the grass. Esteban stated, "My dead homeys drink water before you do, Lice Lord!"

Sketch punched him in the nose, jumped on him and yelled, "That's Vice Lord, you Grass Snake!"

Sketch and Esteban were rolling around on the ground trading punches until Nick and Ricky pulled them away from each other. The whole team was watching while Mr. Harvey and Mr. Weller also stepped in.

Mr. Harvey asked, "What's going on?" Sketch said, "Just send me to solitary confinement, coach."

Mr. Weller said, "We start business on the football field we finish it on the football field. Now, how come you guys are at each others' throats?"

Sketch yelled, "The Cobras put a bullet in my best friend!"

Esteban screeched, "A Vice Lord killed my older brother!"

Mr. Harvey said, "Okay and you think killing each other will bring back your homeys?"

Sketch said, "No, but it will help them rest easy."

"I agree," said Esteban.

Mr. Weller said, "Fight Two grows out of Fight One. Fight Three grows out of Fight Two. When will it end? This game doesn't end until you're both rotting in jail for life or lying dead in an alley."

Nick said, "Look, I know the Vice Lords and the Spanish Cobras are enemies on the mean streets of Chicago. But here at Camp Bluethorn you're both teammates."

Ricky said, "Yeah, can't you call a truce and try to get along?"

Esteban said, "Maybe. We'll see." Mr. Harvey held his temple and shook his head as he tried to wonder what he had gotten himself into.


	10. Chapter 10

After a few weeks the Bluethorn Coyotes were ready for their first match against George Washington High School. They packed all their equipment and gear onto a small yellow Illinois Youth Authority bus and started driving to East Side Chicago. There were COs on the bus but the boys weren't handcuffed. They mostly just sat and talked until they got to George Washington High School. The COs, Mr. Harvey, and Mr. Weller escorted the boys to the boys' locker room.

A black CO told the team, "Remember boys, you're not on a field trip, you haven't been set free. In the eyes of the law you're all still convicted felons. Remember, if you hurt, injure, maim, or kill anyone on the opposing team you will be severely punished."

Mr. Harvey said, "Okay, guys, I think the team gets the point. Now just remember boys, it's not about winning or losing. It's about playing fair and having fun."

After the boys changed out of their orange jumpsuits and into their black and white uniforms, they went out onto the field. Even though it was nighttime the field was illuminated with lights and there were dozens of people in the home team's bleachers to cheer on the George Washington Foxes. Miss Morales and some other teachers from Camp Bluethorn were in the visitors' bleachers. Mr. Weller and Mr. Harvey called the boys in to discuss their strategy. They had gone over it a thousand times and the boys assured their coaches that they were ready.

Out on the football field the boys played their hardest. As soon as T. Rex stepped onto the field the Foxes were getting a little uneasy. T. Rex was bigger than half the team and looked like he could take them all down easily. T. Rex threw down opposing players like they were bowling pins. He even threw down a Fox who tried to tackle X-Ray while he had the ball. Ricky was a great dodger and got the ball past most of the team. Sketch was a strong kicker and got the ball through the posts. Nick, unfortunately, wasn't doing very well as he lacked confidence in his abilities. He always fumbled the ball and got knocked down whenever he got the ball. Devin cheered on the sidelines and kept the team hydrated. By the time the final buzzer went off the Bluethorn Coyotes won the game 18-14. The boys cheered all the way back to camp on the bus.

At practice the next day Mr. Weller came out dressed in a black and white uniform and told Nick Cannon to step up onto the gridiron.

Mr. Weller said, "Nick, you're a good football player. You may even be great but you give up on yourself way too easily. You need to learn to push yourself past your limits. Now get over here and knock me on my ass!"

Nick tried to charge through him ten times but he kept getting knocked over.

Mr. Weller yelled, "Concentrate, Nick, and knock me on my ass!"

Nick closed his eyes, opened them, focused, and charged down the gridiron right through Mr. Weller. The Coyotes cheered!

Then Mr. Weller told Nick, "I know you have a long history of running away. But if every time something scary and challenging comes along that you decide to run away, then you'll be running for the rest of your life. Understand?" Nick nodded and then Mr. Weller said, "Come on, boys, back to practice."

The team started planning new moves for their next football game. When the next football game came up against DuSable High School, the team's utilization of their latest plays led to them beating the DuSable Hornets 16-10. The Bluethorn Coyotes were already on a hot streak and the season had barely begun. Throughout the season the team won most of their games but lost a few. The Coyotes were gaining more popularity and the visitors' bleachers were filled with more fans and spectators. Some of the spectators were their friends and family. People who showed up were Julio's mother and sisters, T. Rex's parents, Devin's grandparents, and Sketch's mother. During a game Esteban blocked an attack from an opposing player who would have knocked out Sketch.

At the end of the game they shook hands and Sketch said, "Thanks, man."

Esteban replied, "It was the least I could do for a teammate."

The Bluethorn Coyotes could barely stop cheering when they made it to the playoffs. If they won that game they would play the Championship Game and they might walk back to camp with a trophy. But during visiting hours on a Saturday, Sketch's cousin Ronnie came to visit him and congratulate him on his football playing. Esteban caught sight of Ronnie and saw a crescent moon tattoo on his hand. Ronnie saw Esteban and saw a Cobra tattoo on his arm. Ronnie reached inside his jacket, hinting that he had a gun. Esteban got a worried look on his face and Ronnie held out his hand showing he didn't have a gun.

Esteban balled his hands into fists and came at Ronnie yelling, "I'll show you something really funny!"

Two COs came in and pulled them away from each other.

Sketch took his cousin into the kitchen and Ronnie yelled, "I'll catch you on the rebound, homey!"

Nick and Ricky saw the whole thing and figured that when the season was over and the boys were released all the gangsters would go back to their warring sides. But the whole point of the sports program was to try and break the power that gangs had over these teenage boys.

During the playoffs the team utilized their special moves, T. Rex kept the offense strong and Sketch was able to score the winning touchdown with help from Esteban who once again blocked for him. When the game was over Sketch's cousin Ronnie came over to shake Sketch's hand but was also planning trouble.

He saw Esteban and said, "Yo, Mexican! Why don't you go back south of the border and take yo mama with ya?"

Esteban said, "Who're you trying to bluff? You ain't got nothin'."

Ronnie pulled out a gun, pointed it at Esteban's shoulder, pulled the trigger, and said, "I got this!"

Esteban fell down with blood flowing out of his shoulder. Ronnie was about to put a bullet in Esteban's skull until Sketch crashed into him. Ronnie looked confused that his cousin would help out Esteban and not him.

Sketch yelled, "Ronnie, run you idiot!"

Ronnie tried to run but he was soon surrounded by police cars and held his hands high in the air. Ronnie was handcuffed and put in a squad car. Nick, Ricky, T. Rex, Devin, and the rest of the football team knew that Sketch had really blown it. By defending a Cobra and not his own homey he had condemned himself once he got back to the 'hood. In less than a week after he was released Sketch would have a bullet through his head by one of the Vice Lords.

The next day at camp Mr. Harvey and Mr. Weller told the boys that Esteban would live but his shoulder was injured and he would be unable to play in the Championship. Sketch stomped off without saying a single word.

Nick told Mr. Harvey, "You should talk to him, Coach. He's barely said a word since the playoffs."

Nick, Ricky, and the others went to Room F and talked quietly with themselves. Devin said, "I was frozen like an icicle the whole time. Who knew that even when you're in jail you're still not safe from guns?"

Peter said, "Sketch is in real trouble when he gets back to the 'hood. The Vice Lords are gonna put a bullet in his brain in place of Esteban."

Ricky said, "I'm sure they'll ask Sketch to testify against his cousin and for Esteban. Man, this football team is really messing us up!"

Peter said, "When I first came here I hated you, Julio. And why? Because our gangs have been at war for so long we can't remember how, why, or when the whole mess started. Coach was right to keep me off. I ain't a real team player."

Julio replied, "I think you could be an athlete. You've really mellowed down over the past few months. Maybe coach will let you join the basketball team. You got the height for it."

T. Rex said, "When I was with the Bloods we said we cared about each other. But in the end its every gangster for himself. One time the Bloods stole a Ford and it broke down on the middle of the road. I heard the sirens, kicked out the passenger door, and ran as fast I could. Two other guys got away but the rest weren't as lucky. I let my homeys take the fall even though I was partly to blame."

Max said, "I may not know that much about gangs but I can say what this camp has taught us. There are no shortcuts in the game of life. You need to face your problems head-on. I hope the rest of the team gets the message instead of going back to their old ways once they're released."

Sketch came back to Room F close to bedtime but didn't say a word. The next day at practice the boys practiced hard but weren't very talkative.

Mr. Harvey and Mr. Weller called the boys together and said, "We're really proud of you boys. Whatever happens at the Championship Game you'll always be winners to us."

Mr. Weller yelled, "Who are we?"

The team yelled, "The Coyotes!"

Mr. Harvey yelled, "I can't hear you, who are we?"

The team yelled even louder, "The Coyotes!"

Mr. Weller yelled, "Yeah, we're gonna kick some ass!"

In a few weeks came the Championship Game. The boys boarded the bus for North Side High School, one of the most prestigious schools in Chicago with one of the top sports programs in Illinois. The Bluethorn Coyotes would be facing the North Side Wildcats, a team that had won all their games that season. The Coyotes would have to see if they could break that winning streak.

In the locker room Mr. Harvey told them, "Remember it's not about winning, it's about playing fair and having fun. Now come on boys we have some bones to break!"

The boys all laughed as they left the locker room. They walked into the cold nighttime air of Chicago and saw the field, the lights, the fans, and the Wildcats. The Wildcats all looked more than ready to tear the Coyotes to pieces but the Coyotes remained relaxed, went to the sidelines to discuss their strategy, and went out onto the field. In the first half, almost nothing went right. The Wildcats tore apart their defense but T. Rex kept the offense strong. T. Rex remained a threat to the Wildcats so the opposing team doubled their defense on T. Rex. Soon the buzzer blew, signalling half-time. The Wildcats were in the lead with ten points and the Coyotes had only four points.

Mr. Weller and Mr. Harvey left the boys alone in the locker room to cheer themselves up with their own pep talk.

Nick said, "Come on, guys. We can still win this. We worked hard for this. If we lose its like all that hard work was for nothing."

Ricky picked up the conversation, "Yeah, guys. We were all worthless losers when we were dropped off in jail but we're still winners because for once in our dead end, living hell lives we worked hard for something we wanted."

Devin said, "Yeah, besides if we lose Esteban will be steaming mad."

The Coyotes laughed and Sketch yelled, "Let's go out there and kick some ass!"

The boys roared out onto the field and saw a delightful surprise. Esteban, with his left arm in a sling said, "Hey, fellas, what's with the scoreboard? We're supposed to be winning, remember?"

Devin ran and hugged Esteban while all the guys shook his right hand and patted him on the back. During the game, the Coyotes really picked up the slack and played with no mercy. Soon there only twenty seconds left and the Coyotes needed a touchdown to win. T. Rex had the ball and ran through three Wildcats but soon saw he would be surrounded. He saw Nick and threw the ball to him. Nick jumped, caught the ball, and ran full-force to the end of the field. He saw the Wildcat's quarterback heading toward him and thought,  _I can do this! I just need to concentrate and focus!_ The quarterback and Nick both collided with a CRASH! and Nick flew to the edge of the field.

The buzzer blew and the announcer yelled, "The Wildcats win 20-18!"

The Wildcats all yelled and cheered. At first the Coyotes were in the dumps but Mr. Harvey cheered them up by saying, "It's okay, boys. You played a hell of a game. As far as I'm concerned you're all winners in my book."

The Coyotes agreed that they had played their hardest and it was a great game. The Wildcats even came over to congratulate them. The Coyotes had lost the Championship but they had won so much more.

Far away in the country a pack of coyotes howled to the moon in the cold winter night.


	11. Chapter 11

Football season ended and soon the winter break started. Two weeks of no classes was fine with the boys because they needed the rest. Jails don't plan very grand and elegant ideas for Christmas but Camp Bluethorn always bought a tree and the boys helped decorate it. The boys could decide whether they wanted to make presents and who to give them to. On Christmas Day, the boys all monotonously said, "Merry Christmas," and proceeded to the cafeteria for their Christmas breakfast. They received blueberry pancakes, their choice of maple syrup or honey, bacon, and hot chocolate. Most of the boys agreed that Christmas breakfast was the best meal they had had all year. Most of the boys lounged around the TV in the rec room watching Christmas specials. On New Year's Eve, the boys were sent to bed at 9:00 PM and most just slept through into the New Year. Nick and Ricky thought bringing attention to Christmas and New Year's would harm the boys rather than help them. As soon as Nick and Ricky had been arrested, fingerprinted, and put in Juvenile Hall, they forgot the very notion of time. Time is an illusion that can drive prisoners' mad; if a prisoner thought about all the time they had to serve and kept looking at clocks and calendars, then the slow movement of time would drive them crazy.

After winter break Mr. Weller and Mr. Harvey announced that they were creating a basketball team for the Bluethorn Sports Program. Nick, Ricky, Sketch, and Peter were eager to join. However, Devin was still considered too short for the team so he resumed his position as water boy. A new inmate had joined Camp Bluethorn shortly before the winter break. His name was Brian McCoy. He was white, had blond hair, was about the same age as Devin, and had been arrested for setting a portable on fire at his school. Brian had been assigned as the Coyotes' equipment manager which meant he would be working on the sidelines with Devin. Devin and Brian hit it off and became fast friends.

Mr. Weller and Mr. Harvey made the boys do some exercises in the indoor gymnasium. The boys ran suicides, jumped ropes, did push-ups and sit-ups, and ran between pylons to improve their footwork. Then they moved on to drills involving basketballs. They worked on dribbling, passing, and shooting. Nick and Ricky were noted for their fancy footwork and were put on small forward. Peter was the tallest boy on the team and was put on center court. X-Ray was put on power forward. Sketch was considered the best ball handler on the team and was put on shooting guard. Five players were assigned to the court and the Coyotes learned when to switch different players from the bench to the court and vice versa. After a few weeks of practice the Coyotes got ready for their first match against Booker T. Washington High School. The boys managed to win their first game, 30-16. They won some games, lost some games, and gained new fans but they learned the value of perseverance, teamwork, and remembered to have fun. They made it to the playoffs but didn't receive the good fortune they had had in their football season. In the final quarter there were only ten seconds remaining in the game. Nick had the ball but was about to be surrounded by the George Washington Foxes. He passed the ball to Peter who attempted to shoot it at the basket but it bounced off the rim and the buzzer blew. The Coyotes lost and were out of the season. Mr. Weller and Mr. Harvey could hardly cheer them up and they just drove back to camp in silence.

Springtime meant it was baseball season. Once again Mr. Weller and Mr. Harvey called the boys together to see who wanted to play on the baseball team. Nick, Ricky, Sketch, and Julio joined while Devin and Brian resumed their roles as water boy and equipment manager. Nick's speed and agility made him perfect for the right field position. Ricky was put on the left field position, Sketch on third base, X-Ray was the pitcher, and Julio was the shortstop. Julio's best position besides shortstop was at the batting plate and he proved he was a strong batter. The boys started practicing on the camp's baseball diamond and showed a great affinity for baseball. After a few weeks of practice they were ready for their first game against the North Side Wildcats. The boys were nervous but vowed to play their hardest. When the game started X-Ray was able to strike out the first batter. The second batter almost hit a home run but Nick was able to catch the ball before it went over the fence. When it was the Coyotes' turn to bat, Julio hit two triples and three home runs. At the end of the ninth inning Julio helped the Coyotes win with a home run. The boys were ecstatic as they considered this a good omen for the season.

Over the course of spring the Coyotes had an unbreakable winning streak that carried them to the playoffs. At the playoff game they were up against the South Shore High School Bullfrogs. Nick was able to save the game by catching balls that were hit into the outfield then throwing them to one of the basemen. X-Ray was able to hit three triples and Julio hit three home runs. When Julio hit the home run the boys were able to run across all the bases, scored three points, and won the game.

Finally, there was the Championship Game. The Bluethorn Coyotes were up against the Dunbar Bulldogs. The Bulldogs were rough and soon had the lead after two innings. But the Coyotes picked up the slack and soon had the Bulldogs on the run. X-Ray struck out most of the batters, Nick was fierce in the outfield, and Julio won the game with a home run! The Coyotes couldn't stop cheering after the game was over and proudly carried the trophy through the halls of Camp Bluethorn. At least the trophy case wasn't empty anymore.

As the Room F boys drifted off to sleep they wondered what else life would have in store for them.


	12. Chapter 12

In the middle of June Mr. Harvey called Nick and Ricky into his office. He told them, "Nick, Ricky, since your rehabilitation has gone so well the parole board has decided to give you an early release. But there are conditions. First, full custody of you boys will be handed to The Unconditional Orphanage in South Side Chicago and its head honcho, Wilona Jenkins aka Big Mama. Two parole officers, Mr. Dennis Jones and Mr. Steve Fuller will supervise your parole. They'll help you if you let them. Second, you boys will have to learn to stay out of trouble. The recidivism rate for male juvenile delinquents is fifty percent. That means that according to the statistics, forty of the boys here will wind up back in jail or die on the street. The rate is even higher if you don't finish high school and if you're considered a minority, no offense intended."

Nick and Ricky had already discussed what they were going to do after they were released. 1. Get their GEDs. 2. Get jobs. 3. Save their money. 4. Join a band. 5. Don't do anything stupid. Nick and Ricky had never had much luck in the foster care system. What made Mr. Harvey think this Unconditional Orphanage and Big Mama person would be any different?

Still, Nick and Ricky shook Mr. Harvey's hand and Nick said, "Thanks for believing in us, coach. We'll try extra hard not to get arrested a third time."

Ricky replied, "Yeah, we'll practically become model citizens."

As they left, Mr. Harvey looked over their records. Miss Morales and the rest of the teaching staff said the boys were very intelligent and determined. But they were still untrustworthy towards adult and still held a lot of anger over what had happened to them in the past. These were holes in a vessel that had just started to heal. Mr. Harvey thought,  _Good luck, boys. Big Mama's got her work cut out for her._


End file.
